ADD/Origins: Hearts of Gold

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Hearts of Gold
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 10 Mar 20 - 10:30 AM

And here's a version from Flanders


The Jolly Sailors
Oliver Jenness, York, ME 1941
Helen Hartness Flanders Collection
Transcription © Julia Lane 2015

And when they do get home at night they tell the girls sad tales
Of the long and tedious job they've had a-digging grass and weeds
And when darkness does come on it's into bed they'll crawl
While we poor jolly sailors stand many a bitter squall, squall
Stand many a bitter squall

And when the wind begins to blow and darkness then comes on
Our captain he cries out "Brave boys, all up from down below!"
And when we do all crowd on deck our goodly ship to guard
Our captain he cries out "Brave boys, down with topgallant yards, yards
Down with topgallant yards!"

But when our voyage is over and we finally get on shore
With bottles of good brandy we will make the taverns roar
We’ll spend our money freely on the girls we do adore
And when our money is all gone, we'll go to sea for more, more
We'll go to sea for more


The last verse was missing two lines so Fred Gosbee has mended it.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Hearts of Gold
From: GUEST,Julia L
Date: 08 Mar 20 - 05:23 PM

The song mentioned as sung by Gordon Bok is the "Schooner Fred Dunbar"
Fred Gosbee has also recorded it on Castlebay's album of Maine seafaring songs "Bound Away" This song was written by Amos Hanson, a fisherman vernacular songwriter from Orland, ME. His songs are generally very local and from his own experience incorporating names and adventures of the people around him.

The Schooner Fred Dunbar
Mrs. Emory Howard, North Blue Hill, ME 1932
Fanny Eckstorm and Phillips Barry Collections
Composed by Amos Hanson, Orland, ME c. 1850
This version adapted by Fred Gosbee 2015

You darling girls of Bagaduce who live along the shore
'Tis little do you think or know what sailors do endure
Or if you did, you would treat them with more respect than before
You never would go with a landloper while sailors are on shore

Oh those Penobscot cowboys will tell you girls fine tales
Of the hardships they endure while they are in the cornfields
While they feed their hens and punch their pigs and make their mothers roar
While we, like jovial-hearted boys, go to the Bay Chaleur

You darling girls of Bagaduce perhaps you'd like to know
The names of all our sailors before we start to go
Their names and dispositions, I'll endeavor to explain
Before we set our canvas to plough the raging main

The first was Hiram Wardwell who runs the Rory O'More
The next was Captain Perkins who roams the golden shore
They're very much respected by all both fore and aft
Two better men cannot be found on an Androscoggin raft

There was little Herman, Leroy and Bill, and Oliver Quinn and Steel
And Amos H. the author, who an entry sheep did steal
The next was little Owen, who loves the girls so well
The last was young Horatio - we called him the Admiral

On board of the Schooner Fred Dunbar, well found in fishing gear
We crowded on our canvas, for Green's Landing we did steer
When we arrived at anchor, the sun was very low
'Twas there we shipped young Stinson and Captain Mood Thurlew

When we arrived at Port McGrave, we hauled in for our salt
We took our little fiddle to have a little waltz
There was twelve of us when we started, our songs through the woods did roar
When we arrived, I was surprised, I could not count but four

The first day of September, broad off Cape Mardean
We struck a squall from our south-southeast which broke our boom in two
So gallantly she weathered it and it was fine to see
She walked to the windward with mainsail down, bound out to Margaree

The last day of September will be remembered well
And how poor sailors fared that night, no tongue can ever tell
The wind blew high, the seas grew rough, and in torrents fell the rain
I never saw such a night before and hope I shan't again

You darling girls of Bagaduce, the time is drawing nigh
When soon you'll see the Stars and Stripes from the Fred's main topmast fly
Get ready, gallant lasses, put on your other gowns
For soon you'll see the Fred Dunbar come sailing up to town

O now this voyage is ended and we've arrived on shore
With our pockets full of greenbacks we have earned to the Bay Chaleur
So merrily we'll dance and sing, as we have done before,
And when our money is all gone, we'll plough the bay some more.

Subject: ADD: Edgartown Whaling Song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 02:50 AM

EDGARTON WHALING SONG

Come all you girls of Edgartown
A line to you I'll write,
While crossing o'er the ocean wide
In which we take delight,
In sailing o'er these raging seas
As we poor sailors do,
Not like those lazy landlubbers
Who stay at home with you.

They'll stay at home with you, my dears,
And tell with lips unsealed,
Concerning all their harvest work
That's done in our corn fields,
In cutting off the grass so green,
It's all that they can do;
While we like jovial hearted lads,
Go plow the ocean through.

We plow the ocean through, my dears,
And smell the salt sea breeze;
We haven't any barnyard smell
About our dungarees.
Our necks and arms are sunburnt brown
From tropic seas we bring,
As jolly a set of sailor lads
That ever yards did swing.

We cruised about the Southern Seas
For sperm and humps as well,
And many a whale we fastened to;
We've got a yarn to tell.
In fourteen months we filled the ship
And then the welcome sound
Of Square away, and make all sail,"
For we are homeward bound.

We crossed the line in thirty-five
And struck the nothe-east trades
In latitude something like eight,
Before the evening shades.
Then, all went well with all sails set
'Til Hatteras on our lee,
The wind backed round to nor-nor-west
And kicked up an awful sea.

A circle round the moon is seen,
The wind begins to blow;
All hands on deck!" the captain cries,
"All hands from down below!"
All hands from down below, brave boys,
Our goodly ship he guards,
"Jump up aloft! Damn lively, lads!
Send down topgallant yards!"

'Twas lower away, and shorten sail
And up the rigging bound
For royal and topgallant yards
We soon had lowered down.
We had the yards soon down on deck,
And ran before the gale,
Because the wind kept backing round,
As we were shortening sail.

Three days we drove her though the sea
And under bare poles we sailed,
With lightning flashes from above,
At times it rained and hailed.
We ran before the hurricane,
As east the wind did draw,
While six points off the lee port bow
Nantucket Isle we saw.

The wind did from the nothe-east blow
It tossed us up and down;
And scudding past Monomoy Point
Into Nantucket Sound.
Our captain cries, "Hurrah, my boys,
We plow the raging main.
We'll soon drop anchor in Edgartown
And see those girls again."

Now, into Oldtown* harbor
Our gallant ship we steer,
And every heart with vigor beats
To think of friends so dear.
Tonight around our flowing bowl
We'll drive dull care away,
And toast each blooming pretty lass
In dear America.

*Edgartown


from Chanteying Aboard American Ships, by Frederick Pease Harlow (1962, Barre Publishing - republished in 2004 by Mystic Seaport Museum), pp 219-222

tune: Old Nantucket Whaling Song


note from Joe: Edgartown is a small town on Martha's Vineyard, and island off Cape Cod in Massachusetts

Subject: ADD: Sailors' Come-All-Ye
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Apr 12 - 02:36 AM

This is a great song you found, LEJ. I ordered the Pint & Dale CD, and I found two more versions to post:

From Colcord:

Notes:

The next is one of a large crop of "career" ballads, in which the advantages are set forth of being a soldier, sailor, farmer, lumberman, or whatever; and in which the girls are exhorted to have nothing to do with men who follow another trade This eulogy of the sailor's life comes from Eckstorm and Smyth's Minstrelsy of Maine.
I do not know the tune to which this particular version was sung; but it was doubtless a variant of the original ballad from which the whole flock of "career" songs sprang.

SAILORS' "COME-ALL-YE"
(By permission of Mrs. Phillips Barry)

Come all ye pretty fair maids, O if ye did but know
The dangers and the hardships that sailors undergo,
You'd have a better regard for them than ever you had before
And hate the lazy landsman, that's always on the shore.

They are always with the pretty girls, telling to them fine tales, Concerning all the hard day's work that's done in their cornfields;
'Tis pulling of the weeds and grass, 'tis all that they do know,
While we, like jovial seamen, boys, go plow the ocean through.

Soon as the sun it does go down, aside they'll throw their plow,
Saying, "Our day's work's done, me boys, no more we will do now."
Soon as the night is dark as pitch, 'tis into bed they'll crawl,
While we, like jovial seamen, boys, stand many a bitter squall.

Soon as eight o'clock it does come on, the winds begin to blow,
Our Captain he commands us all: "All hands from there below!
All hands from there below, my boys, stand by our ship to guard!
Aloft, aloft, me lively lads, send down th' t'gannle yard!"

The seas they run full mountains high and toss us up and down,
In the midst of all these dangers we are 'fraid our ship will drown;
But don't let that discourage us, boys, we'll see the girls again,
In spite of all America, we'll cross the raging main.

'We'll sail to all parts of the world that ever yet was known,
We'll bring back gold and silver, 'tis when we do return;
We'll make our country flourish, me boys, more'n ever it did before,
And when our money's all spent and gone, we'll cross the seas for more.


from Joanna C. Colcord, Songs of American Sailormen (Norton, 1924, 1938), p. 137

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Hearts of Gold
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 19 Apr 12 - 06:11 PM

Joe, here's a link to the Pint Dale album
Hearts of Gold

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Hearts of Gold
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 19 Apr 12 - 05:10 PM

Wow! nicely done, Joe.

The older song scans with the rhythm of the melody to Hearts of Gold, and the themes are quite similar, and the older song does have the phrase "hold fast my hearts of gold", so I suppose an argument can be made.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Hearts of Gold
From: Snuffy
Date: 19 Apr 12 - 05:04 PM

Stuart Frank's version on Songs of Sea and Shore (1980), Folkways, is the six verses of the Pint & Dale version with very minor differences.

Another version, also on a Folkways album, Born of Another Time (1982) by Tom Goux and Jacek Sulanowski (with an introduction by Stuart Frank) is five verses from the Huntington version posted by Joe at 19 Apr 12 - 03:53, vv 1,2,3,(5a+4b),7 with their fourth verse consisting the first 4 lines of V5 and the last 4 of V4.

Subject: ADD: The Praise of Saylors
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Apr 12 - 04:19 PM

Well I don't buy Huntington's tie between "Hearts of Gold" and the song "The Praise of Saylors" in Stone, but here's the "Saylors" song:

VII
THE PRAISE OF SAYLORS

The Praise of Saylors
here set forth, with the hard fortunes which
do befall them on the Seas, when
men sleep in their Beds
To a pleasant New Tune

As I lay musing in my bed,
full warm and well at ease,
I thought upon the Lodgings hard
poor Sailors had at Seas.

They bide it out with hunger and cold,
and many a bitter blast,
And many times constrain'd they are,
for to cut down their Mast.

Their Victuals and their Ordnance,
and ought else that they have,
They throw it over-board with speed,
and seek their lives to save.

Whenas the raging Seas do fome,
and lofty winds do blow,
The Saylors they go to the top,
when Landmen stay below.

Our Masters mate takes helm in hand,
his course he steers full well,
Whenas the lofty winds do blow
and raging Seas do swell.

Our Master to his Compass goes,
so well he plies his charge,
He sends a youth unto the main,
for to unsling the Yards.

The Boatson he's under the Deck,
a man of courage bold,
To th' top, to th' top, my lively Lads,
hold fast, my hearts of gold.

The Pylot he stands on the Chain,
with a line and lead to sound,
To see how far, and near they are,
from any dangerous ground.

It is a testimonial good,
we are not far from Land,
There sits a Mermaid on the Rock,
with comb and glass in hand.

Our Captain he is on the Poop,
a man of might and power,
And looks how raging Seas do gape,
our bodies to devour.

Our Royal Ship is run to rack,
that was so stout and trim,
And some are put into their shifts,
either to sink or swim.

Our Ship that was before so good,
and eke likewise so trim.
Is now with rageing Seas grown leakt
and water fast comes in.

The Quarter-Master is a man,
so well his charge plies he,
He calls them to the Pomp amain,
to keep their leakt Ship free.

And many Dangers likewise they
do many times endure
Whenas they meet their enemies
that come with might and power,

And seek their lives likewise to take,
their lives and eke their goods;
The Saylors they likewise endure
upon the surging Floods.

But whenas they do come to Land
and homewards do return,
They are most good fellows all,
and scorn ever to mourn.

And likewise they will call for Wine,
and score it on the post;
For Saylors they are honest men,
and love to pay their Host.

For Saylors they be honest men,
and they do take great pains,
When Land-men, and rufling Lads
do rob them of their gains.

Our Saylors they work night and day,
their manhood for to try,
When Landed men, and rufling Jacks,
do in their Cabins lye.

Therefore let all good minded men,
give ear unto my Song,
And say also as well as I,
Saylors deserve no wrong.

This have I for Saylors sake
in token of good will,
If ever I can do they good,
I will be ready still.

God bless them eke by Sea and Land,
and also other men,
And as my Song beginning had,
so must it have an end.


Source: Christopher Stone, Sea Songs and Ballads, 1906, pp. 10-13


....and whether it's related to "Hearts of Gold" or not, it's a very interesting song.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Hearts of Gold
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Apr 12 - 03:56 PM

Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song:

Hearts of Gold

DESCRIPTION: The sailor compares sea life with that on land. The landlubbers work at the plow, go home at night, and sleep with their wives; the sailors work all hours and face storms. The sailor declares his life is better, and tells the girls to appreciate it
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1832 (Journal from the _Bengal_)
KEYWORDS: sailor work home farming nonballad
FOUND IN: US(NE)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Huntington-Whalemen, pp. 68-70, "Hearts of Gold" (1 text, 1 tune)
Colcord, p. 137, "Sailor's 'Come-All-Ye'" (1 text-quoted from Eckstorm & Smyth's "Minstrelsy of Maine")
Harlow, pp. 219-222, "Edgartown Whaling Song" (1 text)
Roud #2022
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Whistling at the Ploo" (theme)
cf. "I Love My Sailor Boy" (theme)
File: SWMS068

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2019 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

Subject: ADD Version: Hearts of Gold
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Apr 12 - 03:53 PM

It was recorded by Stuart Frank on his 1980 Folkways album, Songs of Sea and Shore. Stuart Frank also got his version from Gale Huntington, who published the song in Songs the Whalemen Sang (1964, Barre Publishers), pp 68-70. Huntington found the song in the journal of the Bengal, 1832. Here are Huntington's notes:

This has no title in the Bengal Journal so I have called it "Hearts of Gold" which seems to be the important phrase. It is possible that this is a much altered version of "In Praise of Saylors" in Stone, pp. 10-13 [Christopher Stone, Sea Songs and Ballads, 1906]. If so, it is very old indeed. The phrase "hearts of gold" is found there, too."
There is a good version of this song, though it seems much more modern, in Harlow's Chanteying Aboard American Ships, pp. 219-222, called "Edgartown Whaling Song." There, too, the hardship of the sailor's life is compared with that of the "lazy landlubbers" who stay at home.
In Colcord, p. 137, it is called "The Sailor's Come All Ye." That version is taken from Eckstorm and Smyth's Minstrelsy of Maine.

Here are the lyrics from Huntington, just slightly different from those posted by Lonesome EJ:

HEARTS OF GOLD
(traditional)

'Twas the plowing of the raging seas
Was always my delight
While those loving landlubbers
No dangers do they know
Not like we long jack hearts of gold
That plows the ocean through
Yes like we long jack hearts of gold
That plows the ocean through

They are always with the pretty girls
A-setting them fine treats
A-bursting of their pretty heads
With the work they've done in a corn field
But cutting of the grass and weeds
Is all that they can do
While we long jack hearts of gold
We plow the ocean through

'Tis when the sun it does go down
They lay aside the plow
And can the work no longer stand
'Tis home that they must go
Now they got their suppers with content
And into bed they crawl
While we long jack hearts of gold
Stand many a bitter squall

When the dark and dismal night it does come on
And the winds begin to blow
Step up step up my lively lads
Step up from down below
And every man be on our decks
Our goodly ship to guard
Step up step up my lively lads
Send down the topgallant yard

The seas they run full mountains high
Which toss us up and down
We are in the midst of dangers
For fear our ship might found
But never be down-hearted boys
We will see our girls again
In spite of all our enemies
We will plow the raging main

We'll sail to all the ports of the land
Which ever yet was known
We will bring home gold and silver boys
When we arrive at home
And we will make our courtships flourish Boys
When we arrive on shore
And when our money it is all gone
We will plow the seas for more

So come all you pretty damsels
The truth you did but know
The dangers of the raging main
From labors unto you
You would have more contempt for them
Than ever yet was known
You would hate those loving landlubbers
Who always stay at home


Bengal 1832


from Gale Huntington, Songs the Whalemen Sang (1964, Barre Publishers), pp 68-70.

You can find the Stuart Frank recording on Spotify. It's lovely. What William Pint album has this song? I couldn't find it.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Hearts of Gold
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 19 Apr 12 - 03:45 PM

Thanks leenia!

I would speculate that the term "Long jack" derives from the common term for sailor used aboardship in the 1800s...Jack tar, or just jack. My guess is that a "long jack" would be a long voyage sailor who might be at sea for a year or more as opposed to a coastal or packet sailor who would only be gone for short spans of time. The sailors aboard the Bengal, being a Massachusettes sperm whaler, would have been "long jacks" indeed.

Subject: RE: ADD/Origins: Hearts of Gold
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 19 Apr 12 - 03:20 PM

Thanks for the link, EJ. I enjoyed your singing and the art.

Subject: RE: Hearts of Gold
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 19 Apr 12 - 01:50 PM

...and where better, I ask you, to collect a seasong, than from the pages of a whaling ship's log? Was it the musings of a ship's captain far from home, or his effort to document a song he had heard sung by the crew?
Ah...traditional music!

Subject: RE: Hearts of Gold
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 19 Apr 12 - 01:46 PM

Found this on William and Felicia's site...

Hearts of Gold was collected by Gale Huntington, who found the words in an 1832 journal of the Salem whale ship Bengal. We collected it from the singing of our good friend and endless font of information, Stuart M. Frank. It sums up perfectly the conflicting feelings and emotions of those who risked their lives daily while "lesser men" stayed at home enjoying a softer life

Subject: RE: Hearts of Gold
From: Amos
Date: 19 Apr 12 - 01:40 PM

Interestingly similar to one that Gordon Bok does, about the scorn of sailors for the landbound lads who compete with them for lasses' attention. Forget the name, but a similar theme and structure.


A

Subject: ADD: Hearts of Gold
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 19 Apr 12 - 01:24 PM

I discovered this song from the singing of William Pint and Felicia Dale, and recorded my version of it. From William, I found that Hearts of gold is, indeed, a traditional song, and as William said," we heard Hearts of Gold from our friend, the scholar/musician Stuart M. Frank of Massachusetts. He recorded it on a LP called Songs of Sea and Shore on the Folkways label back in the late 70s."
As such, I think it deserves inclusion in the DT.

Here it is. I play it in F

HEARTS OF GOLD
(traditional)

It was the plowing of the raging seas
Was always my delight
While those loving old landlubbers
No dangers do they know
Not like we long Jack Hearts of Gold
Who plow the ocean through
Not like we long Jack Hearts of Gold
Who plow the ocean through

They are always with the pretty girls
A setting them fine treats
And filling of their pretty heads
With the work they've done in a corn field
But the cutting of the grass and weeds
It's all that they can do
While we long Jack Hearts of Gold
Plough the ocean through

And when the sun it does go down
They must lay aside their plow
And their work they can no longer stand
It's homeward they must go
And they take their suppers with content
And into bed they crawl
While we long Jack Hearts of Gold
Stand many the bitter squall

The seas they run full mountains high
Which toss us up and down
We are in the midst of danger boys,
For fear our ship might found
Oh, but never be down hearted boys
We'll see our girls again
In spite of all our enemies
We will plow the raging main

We will sing to every port of land
Which every yet was known
We will bring back gold and silver boys
When we return to home
And we'll make our courtships flourish Boys
when we arrive on shore
And when our money is all gone
We'll plow the seas for more

So, come all you pretty damsels
If the truth you only knew
Of the dangers of the raging main
From labors unto you
You would have more contempt for them
Than ever yet was known
You would hate those loving landlubbers
Who always stay at home

If anyone is interested, my version can be reached here.

I would be curious to know any further history and origin info for the song.

EJ